Contents

History

BMC sold its first issue on April 28, 1947 with Sinai C. Hamada as founding editor. “Syne” as fondly called is the son of Ryukichi Hamada, an Engineer & a Japanese immigrant in Baguio City, and Josefa Cariño, an Ibaloi who belonged to one of the most prominent families in Benguet. Besides being a Journalist, he was also a lawyer and a fictionist in the Cordilleras. Pioneering the publication, he together with his brother Oseo Hamada and his half-sister Cecile Afable, started one of the early community newspapers in the country.

By 1963, a total of 7,500 copies were circulated in Baguio City and around the Cordilleras. In 2007, BMC launched its website in commemoration of its 60th founding anniversary. At present, Baguio Midland Courier continues to have the highest circulation among regional newspapers in CAR.

Editorial Policy

BMC lives by their four-point program “Fair, Fearless, Friendly, and Free” as the founder Mr. Hamada has written and announced on its first issue in 1947.

By Fair, he espouses that the paper aims to be a crusader, fighting for a cause; however, not to be prejudiced, but to present both sides of the question to the readers, and to indicate personal views as opinions when presenting such. By Fearless, he explains that the paper is to be fearless in exposing what is wrong, fearless in ferreting out facts, fearless in supporting a good cause, and fearless in any argument. By Friendly, he elaborates, friendly in the sense of rendering service to the people as the keynote of the paper’s mission. Finally, by Free, he explicates that the paper is not a tool of any individual or group and that the paper owes no favor and is not obliged to anyone.

Awards & Recognitions

BMC was awarded “The Most Outstanding Provincial Newspaper” from 1971 to 1972 and from 1989 to 1990 by the Rotary Club of Manila.

BMC was also recognized for several times by the Philippine Press Institute in its Annual Community Press Awards. It was “The Best Edited Newspaper” in 1997 and in 2004; “The Best Editorial Page” in 2002, 2008, and 2009; “Best in Business & Economic Reporting” in 1997, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2009; “Best in Cultural & Historical Reporting” in 1998; “Best in Science & Environment Reporting” in 2009; and “Best in Photojournalism” in 2004 and 2006.

In addition, it gained the “Child Friendly Newspaper” award by UNICEF in 2005 and 2006. It was, as well, given the “Outstanding Child Writer of the Year” in 2006.